History of Barcelona in Timeline

Barcelona is a major city located on the northeastern coast of Spain and is the capital of Catalonia. As the second-most populous municipality in Spain, it boasts a city population of 1.6 million, with its urban area housing approximately 5.3 million residents. This makes it the fifth most populous urban area in the EU. Positioned along the Mediterranean Sea between the Llobregat and Besòs rivers, Barcelona is geographically defined by its coastal location and the Serra de Collserola mountains to its west.

1900: Barcelona's population

In 1900, Barcelona had a population of 533,000.

1900: Population Demographics

In 1900, children (under 14 years) constituted almost a third (28.9%) of Barcelona's population.

1920: Laboratori de Natura operations

From 1920 to 2010, the Laboratori de Natura, operated at the Castle of the Three Dragons as the Zoology Museum.

1924: Martorell Museum Open to the public

From 1924 to 2010, the Martorell Museum was opened to the public as a geology museum.

1929: Barcelona International Exposition

Barcelona hosted the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition (Expo 1929).

1929: Barcelona Pavilion Design

In 1929, Mies van der Rohe designed the Barcelona Pavilion for the International Exposition in Germany.

1930: Barcelona Pavilion Demolition

In 1930, less than a year after its construction, the Barcelona Pavilion was torn down as it was intended as a temporary structure.

1930: Historical Botanical Garden of Barcelona Foundation

The Historical Botanical Garden of Barcelona was founded in 1930.

1936: Barcelona as Capital of Revolutionary Catalonia

In 1936, Barcelona became the capital of Revolutionary Catalonia during the Spanish Revolution.

January 1939: Fall of Barcelona

On January 26, 1939, Barcelona fell, causing a mass exodus of civilians to the French border.

1939: Capture by Fascists

In 1939, Barcelona was captured by the fascists during the Spanish Civil War.

1945: Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art Focus

After 1945, the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art focuses on post-1945 Catalan and Spanish art.

1950: Population Growth

In 1950, Barcelona started absorbing a high number of people from other less-industrialized parts of Spain.

1957: Establishment of EADA Business School

In 1957, the EADA Business School was founded, becoming the first Barcelona institution to run manager training programmes for the business community.

1960: First Version of Barcelona's Municipal Law Passed

In 1960, the first version of Barcelona's Municipal Law was passed.

1960: Can Framis Museum Focus

The Can Framis Museum focuses on post-1960 Catalan Art owned by Fundació Vila Casas.

1975: Death of Franco

The death of Franco in 1975 initiated a period of democratization in Spain, with strong pressure for change in Barcelona.

September 1977: Demonstrations for Catalan Autonomy

In September 1977, over a million people demonstrated in Barcelona to call for the restoration of Catalan autonomy, which was granted less than a month later.

1979: Peak Population

Barcelona's population peaked in 1979 at 1,906,998.

1982: Barcelona Hosts Matches During 1982 FIFA World Cup

Barcelona hosted several matches during the 1982 FIFA World Cup at two stadiums.

1986: Spanish Accession to the European Community

In 1986, Barcelona's development was promoted by Spanish accession to the European Community and the city's designation as host of the 1992 Summer Olympics.

1986: Barcelona Pavilion Reconstruction

In 1986, a modern re-creation of the Barcelona Pavilion was constructed by Spanish architects in Barcelona.

1987: ETA Car Bombing at Hipercor

In 1987, an ETA car bombing at Hipercor killed 21 people.

1987: Barcelona Divided into Administrative Districts

Since 1987, the city of Barcelona has been divided into 10 administrative districts.

1990: City Improvement Ahead of Olympics

Between 1990 and the 2004, the number of hotel rooms in Barcelona doubled and preparations for the Olympics led to an increase in road capacity, sewage handling, and green areas.

1990: Barcelona's Tourism Boom

In 1990, Barcelona's tourism began to boom. Visitor numbers increased from 1.7 million to 32 million in the coming years, increasing the cost of rental housing and overcrowding public places.

1992: Opening of Beaches for Summer Olympics

As a result of city restructuring to host the 1992 Summer Olympics, Nova Icària, Bogatell, Mar Bella, Nova Mar Bella and Llevant beaches were opened, with many industrial buildings demolished.

1992: Barcelona Hosts 1992 Summer Olympics

Barcelona hosted the highly successful 1992 Summer Olympics.

1992: 1992 Summer Olympics

In 1992, Barcelona hosted the Summer Olympics.

1992: Estació del Nord Renovation

In 1992, the Estació del Nord (Northern Station), a former railway station, was renovated to serve as the terminus for long-distance and regional bus services for the Olympic Games.

1992: 1992 Olympics Held at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys

The Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, with a capacity of 55,926, was used for the 1992 Olympics.

1996: Increase in Foreign Born Inhabitants

In 1996, the proportion of the population born outside of Spain was lower than in 2016.

1997: Industry in Barcelona

In 1997, the Barcelona metropolitan area contained 67% of the total number of industrial establishments in Catalonia.

1999: RIBA Royal Gold Medal

In 1999, Barcelona won the RIBA Royal Gold Medal for its architecture, marking the first time the award was given to a city rather than an individual architect.

1999: OBC Inaugurates New Venue in L'Auditori

In 1999, the Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra (OBC) inaugurated its new venue in the brand-new Auditorium (L'Auditori).

1999: Botanical Garden of Barcelona Foundation

The Botanical Garden of Barcelona was founded in 1999.

2000: Population Bottoms Out

After bottoming out in 2000 with 1,496,266 residents, the city's population began to rise again.

2000: Barcelona's Cultural Roots Go Back 2000 Years

Barcelona's cultural roots go back 2000 years, with a revival of the Catalan language after the Franco dictatorship.

2000: Barcelona Hosts Bread & Butter Urban Fashion Fair

In the summer of 2000, Barcelona began hosting the Bread & Butter urban fashion fair.

2001: Increase in Foreign Born Inhabitants

In 2001, the proportion of the population born outside of Spain was lower than in 2016.

2001: Population Rebound

Since 2001, Barcelona's population has begun to rise again due to a new wave of immigration.

2002: Inauguration of Diagonal Mar Park

Diagonal Mar Park, spanning 13.3 ha, was inaugurated in 2002.

2004: Universal Forum of Cultures and World Urban Forum

Barcelona hosted the 2004 Universal Forum of Cultures and the 2004 World Urban Forum.

2004: Hotel Boom

Between 1990 and 2004, the number of hotel rooms in Barcelona doubled

2004: 2004 Universal Forum of Cultures

The 2004 Universal Forum of Cultures left Barcelona a large concrete bathing zone on the eastmost part of the city's coastline.

March 2006: Approval of Barcelona's Municipal Law

In March 2006, the current version of Barcelona's Municipal Law (Carta Municipal) was approved, organizing the city council in two levels and expanding its powers.

2006: CosmoCaixa Award

In 2006, CosmoCaixa, a science museum in Barcelona, received the European Museum of the Year Award.

March 2007: Bicing Service Launch

On March 22, 2007, Barcelona's City Council initiated the Bicing service, a public bicycle transport system. Users with a card could access bicycles from over 400 stations and leave them at another station after use. The service proved successful, attracting 50,000 subscribers within three months.

May 2007: PSC Governs in Minority Coalition

After the May 2007 election, the ERC did not renew the coalition agreement and the PSC governed in a minority coalition with ICV as the junior partner.

2007: Religious Affiliation

In 2007, most of Barcelona's inhabitants stated they were Roman Catholic.

2008: AVE high-speed rail extension

In 2008, RENFE's AVE high-speed rail system, designed for speeds of 310 km/h, was extended from Madrid to Barcelona, creating the Madrid–Barcelona high-speed rail line.

2008: Population Density

In 2008, the city council calculated Barcelona's population to be 1,621,090, resulting in an average population density of 15,926 inhabitants per square kilometre.

June 2009: New Terminal Opens at Barcelona-El Prat Airport

A new terminal (T1) at Barcelona-El Prat Airport began service on June 17, 2009.

2009: The Brandery Urban Fashion Show held in Barcelona

From 2009, The Brandery, an urban fashion show, was held in Barcelona twice a year.

2009: FC Barcelona Wins Sextuple

In 2009, FC Barcelona won six trophies in a calendar year, becoming one of only two male football teams in the world to achieve this feat.

2009: Bread & Butter Fair Moves Back to Berlin

In 2009, organizers announced that the Bread & Butter urban fashion fair would be returning to Berlin, a significant economic loss for Barcelona.

2009: GDP Ranking in European Union

In 2009, the greater Barcelona metropolitan area had a GDP amounting to $177 billion, making it the 4th most economically powerful city by gross GDP in the European Union.

2009: Catalan Education Act Stipulates Catalan as Language of Instruction

The 2009 Catalan Education Act stipulates Catalan as the primary language of instruction in public schools and escoles concertades.

2010: Barcelona Marathon with Over 10,000 Participants

In 2010, the Barcelona Marathon had over 10,000 participants.

2010: Martorell Museum Closed to the public

The Martorell Museum was closed to the public in 2010, after being open from 1924 to 2010 as a geology museum.

May 2011: CiU Gains Plurality in Municipal Election

On 22 May 2011, CiU gained a plurality of seats at the municipal election, gaining 15 seats to the PSC's 11.

2011: International Visitors

Barcelona was the 20th-most-visited city in the world by international visitors with 5.5 million visitors in 2011.

2011: Museum of Natural Sciences Merge

In 2011, the Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona merged with five institutions: the Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona, the Martorell Museum, the Laboratori de Natura, the Historical Botanical Garden of Barcelona, and the Botanical garden of Barcelona.

2011: Religious Affiliation

In a 2011 survey, 49.5% of Barcelona residents identified themselves as Catholic, marking the first time that more than half of respondents did not identify as Catholic Christians.

2012: Popular Tourist Destination

By 2012, Barcelona became the 12th most popular city destination in the world and the 5th amongst European cities due to the after-effects of the 1992 Summer Olympics.

2012: The Brandery Urban Fashion Show in Barcelona Ends

In 2012, The Brandery, an urban fashion show, ended in Barcelona after being held twice a year since 2009.

2013: Language Census

According to the linguistic census held by the Government of Catalonia in 2013, Spanish is the most spoken language in Barcelona, while Catalan is understood by 95% of the population.

2013: Barcelona Hosts 2013 World Aquatics Championships

In 2013, Barcelona hosted the World Aquatics Championships, held at the Palau San Jordi.

2013: Barcelona-France high-speed rail launch

In 2013, a shared RENFE-SNCF high-speed rail line connecting Barcelona and France (Paris, Marseille and Toulouse, through Perpignan–Barcelona high-speed rail line) was launched. The line serves Barcelona Sants terminal station.

2013: Pleasure cruise passengers usage of the Port of Barcelona

In 2013, the Barcelona harbour was the leading European cruiser port. 3.6 million pleasure cruise passengers used the Port of Barcelona that year.

2013: FC Barcelona Museum Visitors

In 2013, the FC Barcelona Museum was the third most popular tourist attraction in Catalonia, attracting 1.51 million visitors.

2013: Port of Barcelona Trade Volume

In 2013, the Port of Barcelona's trade volume reached 1.72 million TEU's, making it Europe's ninth largest container port.

2014: Southern European City of the Future

Barcelona was recognized as the Southern European City of the Future for 2014/15 by FDi Magazine.

2014: Muslim Population

In 2014, 322,698 people in the province of Barcelona identified themselves as Muslim, which is 5.6% of the total population.

2015: Barcelona as sole city winner of RIBA Royal Gold Medal

As of 2015, Barcelona remains the only city to have won the RIBA Royal Gold Medal for its architecture, instead of an individual architect.

2015: Sagrada Família Completion Plans

As of 2015, the Sagrada Família church, which has been under construction since 1882, is planned for completion in 2026.

2015: International Visitors

By 2015, Prague and Milan had more international visitors than Barcelona.

2015: Barcelona Designated as UNESCO City of Literature

In 2015, Barcelona joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a City of Literature.

2015: Most Livable City

In 2015, Barcelona was ranked as the 24th most "livable city" in the world according to lifestyle magazine Monocle.

2015: Barcelona Ranked Seventh Most Important Fashion Capital

In 2015, the Global Language Monitor ranked Barcelona as the seventh most important fashion capital in the world.

January 2016: Barcelona Population

According to Barcelona's City Council, the city's population as of 1 January 2016 was 1,608,746 people.

March 2016: Number of Hotels

As of March 2016, Barcelona had 519 hotels, including 35 five-star hotels.

2016: Barcelona Ranked 15th Safest City by Business Insider

In 2016, Barcelona was ranked the 15th safest city in the world by Business Insider, owing to a policing strategy that reduced crime by 32% in three years.

2016: Birthplace of Inhabitants

In 2016, about 59% of Barcelona's inhabitants were born in Catalonia, 18.5% came from the rest of Spain, and 22.5% were born outside of Spain.

May 2017: Barcelona Included in "Eight Places That Hate Tourists the Most"

In May 2017, The Independent included Barcelona in the "Eight Places That Hate Tourists the Most." Mayor Ada Colau expressed a desire to avoid Barcelona becoming a cheap souvenir shop. The city stopped issuing licenses for new hotels and holiday apartments, and fined AirBnb €30,000.

August 2017: Terrorist Attack on La Rambla

On August 17, 2017, a van was driven into pedestrians on La Rambla, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries in Barcelona.

2017: Population Demographics

In 2017, children (under 14 years) made up only 12.7% of the population and people aged 65 and older made up 21.5% of the population.

2017: Protests Against Tourism Surge in Barcelona

In early 2017, over 150,000 protesters demonstrated against the destabilizing effects of tourism in Barcelona, citing increased rental costs and overcrowded public spaces.

2018: Barcelona-El Prat Airport Handles Over 50 Million Passengers

In 2018, Barcelona-El Prat Airport handled more than 50.17 million passengers.

2019: Religious Affiliation

In 2019, a survey showed that 53.2% of residents in Barcelona identified themselves as Catholic.

2020: Affordable Luxury Lifestyle

According to the Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report 2020, Barcelona is one of the most affordable cities in the world for a luxury lifestyle.

2020: FC Bayern Munich Wins Sextuple

In 2020, FC Bayern Munich won six trophies in a calendar year, joining FC Barcelona as one of only two male football teams in the world to achieve this feat.

July 2023: Barcelona Named UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture

In July 2023, Barcelona was announced as the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture for the 2024–2026 term.

2024: Capital of Architecture

Barcelona will be the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture for the 2024–2026 term. The year 2024 marks the start of the term

2026: Capital of Architecture

Barcelona will be the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture for the 2024–2026 term. The year 2026 marks the end of the term and it will also host the UIA World Congress of Architects.